Banksia Gardens Community Connections Banksia Gardens public housing estate, Broadmeadows 3047, Vic

Purpose:

The purpose of this document is to outline a clear response to the “The Outer Suburban/Interface

Services Development Committee” regarding the” Liveability Options in Outer Suburban Melbourne”

with particular focus on the following aspects of the Terms of Reference:

(d) identify the provision of medical/health and support services in outer suburban areas;

(e) classify national and international ‘best practice’ in urban renewal as it relates to established outer suburbs; and

(f) recommend options for enhanced liveability of residents

Overview: The Banksia Gardens public housing estate is the most disadvantaged housing estate in Melbourne’s most disadvantaged suburb (Broadmeadows, SEIFA, 2008).

The Banksia Gardens public housing estate is located in the centre of Broadmeadows and was developed in the late 70’s using the American Radburn design. The estate has a long history of experiencing issues including violence, crime and its residents being over represented in lower health, education and employment outcomes. Unsurprisingly it has a poor reputation in the northern suburbs and is referred to locally as “The Bronx”.

The Banksia Gardens public housing estate is currently the only residential district within the

Broadmeadows Town Centre and therefore is of vital importance in the overall regeneration of the

Broadmeadows area. Since February 2010, I have been managing the Community Connections

project, an Office of Housing funded, place based community development project on the public

housing estate at Banksia Gardens. Our work in this time (supported by key local and state

stakeholders), has seen many practical wins on the estate including the establishment of a

community gardening business, a 23% increase in calls to “000” (crime previously unreported), an

estate playgroup program to support single parents and the creation of a tenants group, and

importantly, a more collaborative service sector response to the area.

Study Area:

The study area is bounded by Riggall Street to the north, Pearcedale Parade on the east, Coleraine Street on the south and Talgarno Street to the west (see Appendix 1). The site is approximately 8 hectares in size and is less than 800 meters from the Broadmeadows Railway Station. Various uses are accommodated within the site including public housing, comprising 143 “townhouse” (3 bed) and “walk up” (2 bed) units, housing over 360 residents. The site also includes the Banksia Gardens Community Centre, Office of Housing offices and open space. The Banksia Gardens public housing estate is currently the only residential district within the core of the Broadmeadows Central Activity District and therefore is of vital importance in the overall regeneration of the area.

Estate Background:

Banksia Gardens is home to over 360 people, incredibly, 53% of the population is under the age of

25. 49% of people were born overseas and over 70% of families at Banksia are single parent

households. As per the graphs below, the estate has very low education attainment leading to lower

individual incomes and higher unemployment numbers. 60% of estate households have a weekly

income of less than $400, while unemployment sits at over 25%. Education attainment is low with

only 25% completing Year 12 and only 15% of tenants hold a tertiary qualification (diploma or

higher).

*Gross individual weekly income above $400

Indigenous residents make up 5.5% of the esate community, Hume’s indigenous pop. is 0.6%

Pasifika residents make up 9.3%

49% of estate residents were born outside of Australia

53% of the estate population is under the age of 25, Hume is a young Local Government Area (LGA), however the estate is still 13% higher.

Only 37% of estate tenancies have home internet access, incredibly only 27% is broadband access (Australian access 72%).

Over 70% of families living on the estate are single parent households

Under 7% of tenancies are over 55 years of age.

Is it worth restating at this point that it is a known fact that Broadmeadows is the most disadvantaged suburb in Melbourne (SEIFA 2008), the above statistics clearly show that the Banksia Gardens estate community faces disadvantage well beyond its surroundings.

Project Background:

The Banksia Gardens community was fearful, angry and frustrated by the lack of visible response

from government and NGO service providers over many years. Disengaged from mainstream

services, disempowered by our system of governance and in a state of welfare dependence, the

community felt very much alone. In September of 2009, disturbed by the situation on the estate,

the Broadmeadows Housing Office took action and approached the Banksia Gardens Community

Centre (BGCC) to address some of the ongoing issues that residents were experiencing, namely

violence, drug trafficking, lack of tenant participation, lack of connection to relevant services and

poor public health and safety. As a result of this meeting, the Community Connections project was

developed.

Community Connections aims to improve equity of access to services and build a stronger

community in Banksia Gardens. The project links tenants to mainstream services by applying a

whole of community approach in developing innovative service models to remove the barriers to

participation that exist for estate tenants. Banksia Gardens Community Connections is a place based

community development project, managed by the Banksia Gardens Community Centre. The centre

has a long history in delivering high quality adult educational courses, playgroups and a full range of

youth programs. The project is funded by the Office of Housing, Department of Human Services.

The Community Connections project is under-pinned by 4 key principles: Strength based: Every community has innate assets. It is vital to meet a community on its

terms and build on this intrinsic capacity. Economic participation: True community development is about creating the necessary

opportunities for people to empower their own lives. Being engaged in the local economy is fundamental to this goal.

Physical presence: In order to create positive change, place managers must sit within the community they serve. This enables a more collaborative approach to problem solving, things happen with community, not to community.

Whole of community approach: “Whatever the problem, community is the answer”. In order to build community it is necessary to engage all key stakeholders to access the necessary resources to achieve project objectives. This includes government department, NGOs and community members.

The project is governed by a steering group made up of key local stakeholders including local and

state government, community health services, family services and advocacy groups. The project

steering group brings together the necessary skills, ideas and resources to respond to the needs of

the Banksia Gardens community and through this project aims to improve equity of access to

services and build a stronger community.

The Community Connections Project has a high level of support and commitment from a range of

stakeholders including Hume City Council Officers (incl. Local Laws, Social Development and Central

Activity District and Urban Design), Dianella Community Health, Youth Projects, Home Ground and

Banksia Gardens Community Centre as well as Senior Representatives from DHS and DPCD

The first phase of the project focussed on community and sector consultation, developing relationships with all stakeholders, developing a project implementation plan and building project momentum. Outcomes for this phase included the following:

Service coordination: “We can do what I can’t” – anonymous The Community Connections project has brought together key local stakeholders providing a more comprehensive and responsive suite of services to residents of the Banksia Gardens housing estate. This includes state and local govt including DHS and Victoria Police

Youth Outreach Support: With 53% of the estate population under the age of 25 years, it became clear early on in Community Connections that there was a strong need for (on-site) specialist youth services. As this was a priority, we negotiated a weekly outreach service through Youth Projects. A Drug and Alcohol worker is now based on the estate on a weekly basis. Furthermore, we are working closely with the DEEWR funded - Youth Connections consortium in Hume to build a stronger strategy to address young people’s needs in the area.

Improved Community safety: Safety on the estate had reached such a desperate state that parents would not let their children play outside and outreach workers had been ordered to stay away from the estate by their organisations for fear of their own safety. Through negotiations with Victoria Police we have implemented a 3 point strategy to address the safety issues. These include the development of a confidential community reporting mechanism, increased police patrols and community policing activities with Police members attending community events such as Community forums and Festivals. This strategy has led to a 23% increase in reporting of crime leading to less criminal activity and a safer environment for tenants.

Formation of a tenants group: 35 tenants have engaged with the group since its inception. These monthly meetings have formed the foundation for community participation in the development of the Community Implementation Plan. This group has also facilitated stronger links between services and tenants. The group is regularly consulted regarding ongoing developments on the estate.

Facilitated Playgroup: Funded by the Communities for Children and staffed by Hume City Council and Banksia Gardens Community Centre, the playgroup supports tenants with young children to link in with other parents from the estate. It also aims to build parenting skills and improves access to information about pre-school services and child health.

Graffiti free zone: The Banksia Gardens housing estate is now a graffiti free zone, thanks to the fantastic work of Hume City Council’s Graffiti Removal team of volunteers. The estate is re-visited by the team each month to ensure the area remains free of vandalism. Furthermore, Community Connections is working with local young people to design and create street murals on the estate to help young people develop their creative skills in a safe environment, bringing much needed colour to the estate.

Improving links between tenants and services: There have been a total of 65 referrals made directly through the Community Connections project in the initial 12 months of operation.

Tenants’ knowledge of (and confidence) in services (government and NGOs) has increased through Community Connections.

Increased local government services: As part of Community Connections, Hume City Council has now introduced regular street sweeping and public bin collections on the estate. This is the first time in 30 years that frequent street sweeping has taken place.

Banksia Gardening: is a community business created to offer tenants on the estate a low cost, high quality gardening service. The business also provides a great opportunity for public housing tenants to earn a wage while developing their work skills. The service currently has 60 clients, 80% of which live on the estate; this number is growing weekly.

We are very excited about the positive outcomes achieved in such a short period. What is evident is

that the Community Connections model works. The community is highly engaged and directly

involved in the project. The success of the model is due to the resolve and determination of the

tenants of the Banksia Gardens estate, the expertise and commitment of the organisations

represented on the project steering group, and importantly the physical presence of the community

centre and the Community Connections Manager. Whilst much has been achieved there is still

much more to do in order to increase the community’s connectedness and improve quality of life on

the estate.

Overarching Policy:

Melbourne 2030 A Planning Update: Melbourne @ 5 million

In 2008 Melbourne 2030 A Planning Update: Melbourne @ 5 million instigated a major shift in urban growth policy from a mono-centric CBD model to a poly-centric model with six new satellite centres (Central Activities District’s) which are to have CBD like functions.

Central Activities Districts are to provide:

Significant CBD-type jobs and commercial services;

A strong and diverse retail sector;

Specialised goods and services drawing on a large regional catchment;

Significant opportunities for housing redevelopment in and around these centres;

High levels of accessibility for walking, cycling, public transport or car by being located at a junction in the principal Public Transport Network; and

Vibrant centres of community activity with a range of public facilities.

Broadmeadows CAD is set to become Melbourne’s capital of the North over the next 20-30 years and will be a regional hub for offices and services, supported by a mix of retail leisure and transport facilities to accommodate a growing population.

Banksia Gardens housing estate has a strategic and important role in contributing to this vision.

Other studies:

Broadmeadows CAD Structure Plan

The State Government together with the Hume City Council are preparing a Structure Plan for the Broadmeadows Central Activities District (CAD). CPG Australia Pty Ltd (CPG) have been engaged to prepare the Structure Plan and associated zoning controls.

The Draft Structure Plan is due to be exhibited in June 2010. It is expected that the Community Design Framework will be a valuable contribution to the exhibition feedback process.

Sector Development due to Community Connections: In response to the ongoing issues affecting the Banksia Gardens’ community, a facilitated workshop was convened by Banksia Gardens Community Centre to discuss short, medium and long term strategies to improve the quality of life for Banksia Gardens’ residents. This meeting drew together representatives from key local and state bodies including Hume City Council, DHS and DPCD, police and community sector service providers*. *It was decided that community members would not be invited to this meeting as this could lessen government depts. ability to have a frank and open discussion regarding the estate. Community consultation is fundamental to the success of the Community Connections project. Consultation will continue as appropriate. A key outcome agreed was the need for the Community Sector to engage a design consultant to establish a Community Design Framework (CDF) for the potential future development of the estate. The Community Design Framework will incorporate the medium and long term solutions identified in the Workshop Report (provided as appendix 02) by:

Making clear recommendations about future redevelopment opportunities, urban and built form, public spaces, connectivity and access (including cycling and pedestrian routes), integrated transport and parking.

Plan for, through good urban design, a safe, welcoming, attractive, walkable, and stimulating environment that is well integrated into existing urban areas;

Encourage a mix of uses including employment, business, leisure, community facilities, some retail and a diverse range of housing types, densities and ownership in order to support sustainable urban outcomes

Demonstrating a staged and logical redevelopment strategy that will see early implementation actions address the most acute issues and build value toward the final desired outcome.

Embedding community benefit through social procurement and targeted recruitment and training as a fundamental aspect of any redevelopment from the outset.

Community Design Framework Objectives:

The aims of the CDF will be to produce a plan that shows how a redeveloped estate could contribute

to a culture change that:

Significantly reduces incidences of severe violence and crime perpetrated on the estate

Improves community perception of safety on the estate

Enhances ownership and pride in the estate by residents

Connects the estate to the wider Broadmeadows community

To achieve these aims, the plan will:

Be informed by the relevant existing studies, overarching policy and community and key stakeholder engagement;

Clearly articulate the community sector’s Vision for the Banksia Gardens public housing estate as set out in the Workshop Report dated 28 March 2011;

Create a mix of public and private residents through a diversity of housing types, sizes, densities and ownership and tenure models. The potential to include student housing for the adjacent Kangan Institute should be explored.

Provide opportunities for a mix of other community or commercial services, such as the proposed Dianella super-clinic (see appendix 3) - which currently cannot locate in the estate to do staff safety issues - along with other possible retail, entertainment and office uses.

Provide for well located public open spaces that serve the needs of all the community and visitors to the centre;

open the site up to integrate with the existing urban area, by addressing the street edges and adjacent land to the estate, in particular Coleraine Street and the Kangan institute land, and by identifying desired movement networks through the estate, with a focus on active and public transport.

Produce urban design concept plans that articulate appropriate built form outcomes in text and graphics, including perspective drawings.

Identify and respond to environmental challenges associated with climate change by incorporating principles of sustainability;

Identify and detail precinct opportunities and constraints for redevelopment, and potential key redevelopment sites.

Outline an implementable redevelopment strategy that will see tenant numbers maintained throughout the staged redevelopment process and will ensure early interventions, for example utilizing existing units on the estate for service provision, and key redevelopments build value toward the final desired outcome.

Highlight the requirement to provide pathways to training, education and employment for the residents of the estate in the redevelopment process through social procurement and targeted recruitment and training.

The CDF will be completed by mid July 2011. Although this will fall outside the deadline for

submissions to this Committee, I would like to reserve the right to send a copy of the completed CDF

to the Committee as supporting evidence of this submission.

Key Recommendations:

“The Outer Suburban/Interface Services Development Committee” regarding the” Liveability

Options in Outer Suburban Melbourne”:

In my experience of the welfare and community sector, there is rarely a lack of services. The key challenge is how we effectively remove or significantly lessen the barriers to ensure a broader community participation in these services. Barriers such as transport, language, culture, cost and knowledge of services all play a part in reducing the success of service delivery and community uptake. What is evident is that the Community Connections model works. The Banksia Gardens community is highly engaged in the process and many successful referrals are now in place with clear outcomes for the families involved. The project has also been able to create a more cohesive sector response to the ongoing issues in the area. We recognise that in order to engage effectively with community, we must be innovative in our delivery and meet people where they’re at. What we require as an outer suburban area of Melbourne:

Funding: The question for government is what is the cost of doing nothing?

The use of Social Impact Bonds, (Pay for Success Bonds in the US), offer exciting prospects

for future financing of Social/Community programs in outer metro areas of Melbourne.

Simply put, government only pays for effective services; a third party investor bears all the

risk of services being (potentially) ineffective. For further information, please see

http://www.csi.edu.au/

Place-based approaches are an effective delivery model for geographical areas experiencing

high needs and ongoing disadvantage. It is important to note that these are not welfare

programs, on the contrary, these are strength based programs that build the capacity of

local people to improve their own quality of life and the liveability of their community.

Re-current funding for place based program such as Community Connections must be put in

place. The Banksia Gardens public housing estate has experienced disadvantage since its

development, a 12 month project will not undo 30 years of neglect.

Similar projects must be a partnership between government and NGOs. However it is of the

upmost importance that the project delivery is managed outside of government. It is in this

environment that successful outcomes are achieved.

Although cost is regularly cited for the removal of community development projects,

community organisations are well equipped to manage such work and indeed can deliver

outcomes at a lower cost that is possible for government departments.

Also, community sectors can apply for further funding (govt and non-govt) to increase the

cost-benefit of the project. In the instance of Community Connections, we have been able to

match state governments funding dollar for dollar from other sources. In simple terms (and

coupled with the great social outcomes achieved), this represents great value for money and

a very clear cost/benefit to the state of Victoria.

Transport:

Exorbitant costs of public transport for families living in Zone 2 (Outer Suburbs).

The cost of a daily Metlink Zone 1 + 2 ticket is $11. This cost is prohibitive for many young

people to attend city-based universities and employment. Anecdotally, many young people

from Broadmeadows, have never used any form of public transport until they attend our

community centre programs.

My recommendation would be to simplify the system by completely removing the zone

based payment scheme. One cost for daily and one cost for 2hr tickets.

Housing:

The private rental market is difficult to extremely difficult access. There is little

accountability of landlords and although many operate in a reputable fashion. There are

landlords who take advantage of community members who are most vulnerable including

newly arrived communities, single parents and those trying to leave the public housing

system. Unsafe housing, inflated rental prices and landlords standing over single mothers

are not uncommon.

There are good examples of government regulation which can protect tenants (and

landlords) across Europe, most notably in The Netherlands and Germany. I accept that

further regulation of the rental market under a Liberal government may appear as an

oxymoron, however, sound policy and effective regulation could go a long way to reducing

the pressure on our public housing and other welfare service. Ultimately we want people to

be in a position to take care of themselves.

Policing:

Victoria Police have been a key partner in the successful delivery of the Community

Connections project. We are grateful to our local Senior Sergeants and indeed the Hume

inspector for this.

The Police operate under difficult circumstances with a severe lack of resources. Increase

support for the Victorian Police force to effectively manage outer metro areas is required. In

simple terms, there are just not enough Officers (or Police cars) to respond to “000” call

outs, or indeed to look at more preventative policing strategies.

The current increase in Police numbers will make a clear difference, however this must also

be driven from the highest levels to ensure a more pro-active approach is taken with the

force. Foot and bike patrols must not become a thing of the past in outer metro areas of

Melbourne.

Engagement:

As stated above, there are many great welfare/community services out there and it is rare

that a required service does not exist! What is missing the delivery of services is an

engagement model which community can trust. People trust other people, not organisations

or services. Therefore it is imperative that services use an assertive outreach model to “get

to know” there community, build relationships with local people and create the

environment where people will engage in services.

This process is intensive, requiring time and labour resources. It represents the “hard yards”

of development, however when effectively utilised, it creates true community connection to

relevant services.

Appendix 1

Melways Reference 6 H6

Appendix 2

Workshop Report 28 March 2011

1. The context

The Community Connections project commenced in 2010 with funding from the Department of

Human Services (DHS) Office of Housing. The objectives of the project are to:

improve tenants connection to relevant services

enhance community perceptions of safety

increase tenants participation in the Banksia Gardens estate (the estate)

engage tenants in opportunities for learning and employment

raise tenants’ (and broader community) perceptions of the area

develop a greater sense of community pride

advocate for and protect the rights of children and young people living on the estate

significantly contribute to the revitalisation of the estate and surrounding areas

facilitate a collaborative sector approach on the estate leading to improved service

delivery and outcomes for tenants and their families.

The first year of the project has been a success so far. Some key wins have been the collaboration of

many organisations such as DHS, Victoria Police, Hume City Council, Dianella and Youth Services to

share information and resources and improve outcomes. The project has also been able to acquire

the services of a Drug & Alcohol worker half a day per week. For a more detailed overview of the

project, refer to Appendix 1.

The key barriers to further development and future success at the Banksia Gardens estate are:

Extreme violence and crime

There has been a long history of violence in and around the estate. Much of it goes unreported

due to fear of reprisal. However, there has been a 23% increase in calls to 000 from the estate

over the last year due the impact of the Community Connections project.

A significant proportion of the violence/crime is perpetrated by non-tenants.

Displacement of tenants by drug dealers

Several tenants, mostly single women, have been forced from their units by drug dealers who

then use the units to conduct deals.

Cultural norms

The violence has been present at the estate for so long it has become an accepted part of the

culture. Child residents of the estate refer to their home as “The Bronx”. Non-residents note a

dangerous “feel” when visiting the estate.

2. Short term solutions / quick wins

A range of strategies for reducing violence and changing the culture of the estate that can be

implemented within 6 months were discussed.

2.1 Current activities

Activities that are currently being implemented to reduce crime and violence include:

Establishment of a regular tenants’ forum

This approach has led to some good outcomes and the involvement of other stakeholders.

Issues discussed at the forums have included fire safety, work skills and family centred

employment. The forums help link people to the services they need.

The tenants’ forums have revealed that there is an appetite amongst residents to discuss issues

relating to the estate.

Establishment of a crime reporting process and increased presence of Victoria Police

A process has been implemented for people to pass on information to the Police through the

Community Centre. This approach has had some success in that higher numbers of crimes are

being reported. However, the Police also noted that the recent increase in their presence

appears to have shifted much of the crime committed at the estate indoors.

Revitalisation of the estate

$400,000 has been provided by DHS to provide a range of Health and Safety upgrades to the

estate. Tenants were involved in planning the revitalisation. The rationale behind the

revitalisation is that if the estate is aesthetically more pleasing it will help the neighbourhood to

build up a sense of esteem and a feeling that they are adding value to the area. Also, if the

tenants have greater pride in their homes, they may take more care to look after the estate.

Works include:

o repainting street furniture

o revamping the playground

o building speed ramps

o updating lighting

o repairing curbs.

2.2 Future activities

Removal of the pergola

The removal of the pergola would destroy a common meeting point for drug dealers and a

generally dangerous space. Mark Sullivan (Dianella) commented that in a Prahran housing estate

a similarly dangerous area was converted to a room for an after-school program. When the

room was not being used in the afternoons it was locked and inaccessible. The conversion to this

room turned a very dangerous space into a neutral one.

Tony Ryan (Victoria Police) noted that at the time that the residents are notified of the removal

of the pergola they should also be notified of other positive changes that are occurring

concurrently, e.g. the development of an after-school program or a new adventure playground

across the road.

Site maintenance, including:

o regular removal of graffiti

o regular clean-up of rubbish from yards

o removal of unregistered cars.

Installation of security cameras

Tenants would need to buy in to any decision to install security cameras as they could be seen as

impacting on privacy. Furthermore, security measures would need to be installed to protect the

cameras. Paul Bentley (DHS) commented that this could work out to be quite expensive and

complex.

Increasing the backyard space of some units to include otherwise dark spaces along the

fence line

Gina Dougall (Banksia Gardens) noted that any increases to residents’ backyard space will need

to be supported as it may result in the collection of rubbish. Leanne March (DHS) noted that

some increases in backyard space have already been implemented with tenant involvement and

that it has been successful. Discussion was held around whether to do this in the short term

when it may not fit in with longer term solutions.

Consensus was that if it increases the safety of the estate, it should be implemented as quickly

as possible and undone later on if required. Prior to implementation, residents should be

informed that the change may be temporary.

Creation of a ‘safety group’ to respond to complaints

This group would consist of representatives from Victoria Police, Hume City Council Laws and

Banksia Gardens Community Centre. The group would attend the site together to deal with

issues such as barking dogs or removal of unregistered cars. Currently, many such issues are left

unattended due to the safety concerns of the people required to attend. The group’s response

would demonstrate collaboration between services in making the estate a safer place.

Installation of extra security measures on doors and windows

Cheryl Harbrow (DHS) noted that the addition of extra security on doors and windows could

cause the estate to feel like a prison.

Restriction of non-resident access to the estate

Heidi Dixon (DPCD) noted that restriction of access can cause further alienation of the residents

from the rest of the community. Typically, the more people present, the safer the estate will be.

Example: Parkside Estate, Shepparton

Parkside Estate in Shepparton was an estate providing low cost, public housing to a range of disadvantaged people from the Shepparton area. The level of violence and crime and subsequent poor morale experienced within the estate mirrored what is currently happening at Banksia Gardens.

Like Banksia Gardens, Parkside Estate was built facing inwards with no access points through the middle.

In order to obtain funding to revamp the estate, a report was developed detailing the financial cost (including the costs of police call-outs, hospital admissions, child protection visits etc), of doing nothing to curb the violence and crime.

The revitalisation project involved a physical upgrade which employed a range of residents. An intensive police presence at the estate was also implemented. In addition, a Community Centre was set up and offered skills training about safety and behaviours. After a period of around 15 months, the combination of physical maintenance, growing community pride and the intensive police presence began to increase community confidence. By then, the estate had gone from a 94% police call-out rate on weekends to an 18% call out rate. A range of longer term solutions such as bringing in private residents were also of benefit in raising the morale of the estate overall.

Heidi Dixon to provide further details on the Parkside Estate project.

It was noted by Mark Sullivan (Dianella) that infrastructure and safety changes need to be made to

the estate before any services would consider moving in. Nic Burt from Youth Projects also noted

that the issues on the estate have been systemic for so long that resources will need to be injected

into this project over a prolonged period to resolve them.

3. Medium and long term solutions

Strategies that would take longer timeframes to implement were also discussed (from 6 to 18

months medium term and over 18 months long term). All such strategies would need to be included

in an in overall master plan for the estate. The aims of the plan would be to:

significantly reduce the severe violence and crime perpetrated on the estate

enhance community perception of safety on the estate

enhance residents’ regard for and ownership of the estate.

To achieve these aims, elements within the plan might include:

Changing the culture of the estate

It was widely acknowledged that a significant cultural shift would take many months to occur.

Development of a road through the middle of the estate

This was widely viewed as a benefit as it would help rejoin the estate to the wider community

and would allow service and police access through the site.

Physical upgrade and maintenance including,

The key upgrade proposed was the development of an adventure playground on a site

abutting the Banksia Gardens Community Centre.

Employing residents of the site in the physical upgrade process

Ian Barker (DEEWR) noted that if the employment of residents or training of the unemployed is

to occur, the intent must be stated from the inception of the concept so that tenderers take it

into account. As social procurement is high on the public agenda, it is timely to run the project in

this way.

Creating a mix of public and private tenants including students from the adjoining TAFE

Including private residents on the site should assist in creating a sense of pride and ownership in

the area. It would also help link the estate back in with the wider community. Having TAFE

students living on site, particularly those studying construction, could be of assistance as those

students may be involved in the upgrade of the estate, which would further increase residents’

sense of ownership and pride in the estate.

Linkage of the estate with neighbouring communities

This would hopefully be achieved through the construction of a road and the inclusion of private

residents. It may also involve the removal of physical barriers which separate the estate from the

rest of the street, especially along Riggall Street that has back fences facing the estate.

Utilisation of some units on the estate for service provision

Some of the units which are most difficult to lease could be used for alternative community

purposes such as running TAFE classes, providing a community cafe or to house agencies

offering employment or health services such as Moreland Hall. This would increase the flow of

traffic through the estate and make a currently unsafe area much safer.

Bringing service providers to the estate

Providers such as the proposed Dianella super-clinic could be created at the estate but only if

safety is increased first.

4. General discussion

Heidi Dixon (DPCD) noted that now is the perfect timing to request funding for this project as there

is a window of opportunity within the structure planning process for the Central Activities District

(CAD). Matt Wilson (Hume City Council) also noted that a directions paper was released recently

highlighting Banksia Gardens as a key redevelopment site that could help change community

perceptions of the area. The draft structural plan for the redeveloped CAD, in which Banksia Gardens

is located, is due out in May.

Cheryl Harbrow (DHS) commented that DHS would be responsible for the development of a business

case to obtain funding to revamp the estate. If funds are provided, DHS would then develop the

master plan. Work done by agencies to support this process would involve providing information to

support the business case developed by DHS. All present at the meeting were invited to continue

their involvement in the project.

5. Agreements for next steps

It was widely agreed that a Community sector plan for the redevelopment of estate needs to be

undertaken to inform the DHS business case. Banksia Gardens Community Centre would engage a

consultant to create the plan. Dianella and Youth Projects agreed to help fund the consultancy. DHS

noted that a request for funds to contribute to the consultancy could also be made to them. It was

noted that the funds required was between $8,000 and $15,000.

Matt Wilson (Hume City Council) agreed to provide a costed proposal for the design work to Banksia

Gardens.

It was agreed that a representative from the TAFE should be present at the next meeting.

Heidi Dixon (DPCD) agreed to provide further information to the Steering Committee about the

Parkside Estate project.

The next meeting is to be held on 9 May from 10am to 12pm at Banksia Gardens.